Navigating Open Source Software Tools for New Developers

As a new developer, it's understandable to feel overwhelmed when exploring the vast landscape of open source software tools.

This guide will help you navigate through the key categories of open source software, understand licenses and community participation, and highlight the top tools that can boost your personal development as a new coder.

You'll learn the basics of what open source is, dive into popular OSS categories like operating systems, programming languages, and IDEs, and walk through first steps for making your initial open source contributions. You'll also discover a curated list of versatile open source alternatives for common software needs.

Introduction to Open Source Software

Open source software refers to programs with source code that anyone can inspect, modify, and enhance. The open source movement aims to promote open collaboration and the free exchange of software source code. Understanding open source is key for developers who want freedom, transparency, and community-driven innovation.

What is Open Source? Understanding the Basics

Open source software has source code that is publicly accessible for anyone to view, edit, and distribute. This contrasts with proprietary software, where the source code is usually hidden from users.

Some key attributes of open source software:

• Freely distributed - Users can download and use the software for free.
• Open source code - The source code is available for anyone to inspect and modify.
• Community-driven - Open source projects rely on user communities for improvements, testing, documentation, etc.
• Flexible licensing - Open source licenses allow modifying and sharing the code, unlike more restrictive proprietary licenses. Common open source licenses include MIT, GPL, and Apache.

The History and Philosophy of the Open Source Way

The open source movement traces back to the 1980s with Richard Stallman's free software movement. Stallman advocated for freely sharing source code to foster open collaboration and give users more control over their computing.

Central to open source philosophy are values like:

• Freedom - Users should have the freedom to use, modify, and share software however they want.
• Transparency - Openly available source code enables transparency into how software works.
• Community - Open collaboration where anyone can contribute ideas and improvements that benefit the software ecosystem.
• Pragmatism - Practical solutions that come from open peer review and community-driven development.

Why Open Source Matters for Developers

There are many advantages for developers who use and contribute to open source:

• Control - The ability to fully control software and not be locked into restrictive licenses.
• Learning - Open source enables developers to learn from shared source code.
• Reuse - Developers can reuse existing open source libraries/tools rather than reinventing the wheel.
• Career opportunities - Contributions to popular open source projects can improve skills and employability.
• Commercial value - Many companies build products/services around open source software.

Understanding the open source landscape enables developers to fully leverage these benefits.

What is an example open source software?

Open source software refers to programs with source code that anyone can inspect, modify, and enhance. Some popular examples of open source software tools include:

Firefox

Firefox is an open source web browser managed by the Mozilla Foundation. It is a popular alternative to commercial browsers like Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge. Firefox is free to download and use.

LibreOffice

LibreOffice is a free and open source office suite. It can be used as an alternative to Microsoft Office products like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. LibreOffice includes word processing, spreadsheet, presentation, drawing, database, and other productivity applications.

GIMP

GIMP stands for GNU Image Manipulation Program. It is a free photo editing software alternative to paid options like Adobe Photoshop. GIMP provides tools for image retouching, editing, and composition.

Blender

Blender is a free and open source 3D computer graphics software. It can be used for 3D modeling, animation, simulation, rendering, and more. Blender competes with paid 3D graphics programs like Cinema 4D and Autodesk Maya.

The source code for these open source tools is publicly available, allowing developers to customize and extend their functionality. The open source community also provides forums and documentation to help support users. Choosing open source software can provide more flexibility and freedom compared to proprietary alternatives.

What is the top open source software?

Popular open source software provides free access to source code that anyone can inspect, modify, and enhance. According to the 2021 Stack Overflow survey, some of the most widely used open source tools and technologies among developers are:

Python

Python is a popular high-level programming language used for general-purpose coding across web development, data analysis, machine learning, and more. As an open source language, Python has a strong community contributing libraries and tools.

Linux

Linux is an open source operating system kernel that powers various Linux distributions like Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, etc. Linux OS offers developers flexibility and customization options compared to proprietary systems.

Firefox

Firefox is a free, open source web browser managed by the non-profit Mozilla Foundation. It provides user privacy features and web compatibility for developers.

WordPress

WordPress is open source software for building websites and blogs. Its plugin ecosystem allows developers to easily extend site functionality.

Rocket.Chat

Rocket.Chat is an open source team chat solution similar to Slack, but with on-premises hosting options. Developers can self-manage Rocket.Chat servers.

Evaluating and selecting open source tools depends on your specific project needs. But popular options tend to have strong community support, frequent updates, abundant documentation, and customization flexibility. Understanding software licenses, codes of conduct, and community norms is also important for new developers utilizing open source projects.

What are the two types of open source software?

While many different open source licenses exist, their requirements typically fall under two broad categories: “permissive” and “copyleft.”

Permissive Licenses

Permissive open source licenses place minimal restrictions on how the software can be used, modified, or redistributed. Some popular examples include:

• MIT License
• Apache License 2.0
• BSD 3-Clause License

These allow software to be used in proprietary applications without requiring those applications to also be open sourced. You can modify and redistribute the code without needing to contribute changes back to the original project.

Permissive licenses provide more freedom for commercial use cases. However, some critics argue this can enable large companies to benefit from open source code without giving back to the community.

Copyleft Licenses

Copyleft licenses have more restrictive terms requiring modified versions of the software to remain open source. The most well-known example is the GNU General Public License (GPL).

Some key requirements of copyleft licenses:

• Source code must be made available for any distributed binaries
• Modifications and derivative works must use the same license
• Changes made to the code may need to be contributed back to the original project

So while permissive licenses are better for proprietary software, copyleft licenses aim to grow the open source community by ensuring improvements flow both ways between commercial and non-commercial users.

In summary, permissive licenses offer more commercial freedom while copyleft licenses champion the open source movement. Understanding these two categories can help developers pick the right license.

Is Google an open source software?

No, Google is not an open source software. Google is a company that develops proprietary software and services like Google Search, Gmail, Google Maps, etc.

However, Google does actively develop, contribute to, and release open source software projects. Some examples of popular open source projects started or sponsored by Google include:

• Kubernetes - Container orchestration system
• TensorFlow - Machine learning framework
• Go - Programming language
• Android - Mobile operating system
• Chromium - Open source web browser project behind Google Chrome

While Google's core search, email, and other services are not open source, the company relies heavily on open source software internally. Google also gives back to the open source community by open sourcing internal software projects that could benefit developers worldwide.

So in summary:

• Google itself is a proprietary software and services company
• Google utilizes open source software extensively internally
• Google contributes to and releases open source projects

Some key reasons Google supports and contributes to open source include:

• Fostering innovation by allowing developers to build on top of and improve projects
• Encouraging collaboration between Google engineers and external developers
• Promoting adoption of Google technologies and standards
• Giving back to the software community

While Google is not an open source software itself, the company plays a major role in sponsoring and advancing open source software development.

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Exploring Popular Open Source Software Categories

Open source software provides developers with a wealth of free tools to build applications. Understanding the major categories can help identify the right solutions.

Open Source Operating Systems: Linux and Beyond

Open source operating systems offer developers more customization and control. Popular options include:

• Linux distributions like Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, openSUSE, Arch Linux
• Android (based on the Linux kernel)
• ChromeOS (based on the Linux kernel)

Many developers run Linux as their primary OS or use Linux VMs for programming. Top distros provide package managers, developer tools out of the box, and good hardware support.

Programming Languages and Frameworks: FOSS Examples

Many leading programming languages are open source:

• Python - A popular general purpose language good for scripting, web apps, data science. Frameworks like Django and Flask.
• JavaScript - The core language of web development. React, Vue, Angular, and Node.js.
• Java - Strongly typed, excellent for enterprise apps. Spring and Hibernate are popular Java frameworks.
• Ruby - Used for building fast prototypes and MVPs. Ruby on Rails is a full web framework.
• Rust - A systems programming language focused on safety, speed and concurrency.

Most languages have open source cheat sheets to help new developers.

Code Editors and Integrated Development Environments (IDEs)

Open source code editors are lightweight and customizable:

• Visual Studio Code - The most popular free code editor. Great extension ecosystem.
• Atom - Created by GitHub. Focuses on customizability and hackability.
• Eclipse - Java-focused IDE good for large projects. Alternative distributions like Eclipse Che.
• VSCodium - Binary releases of VS Code without Microsoft branding/telemetry.

Databases: Free Software Examples

Leading open source databases like:

• MySQL - The world's most popular open source database. Relation and non-relational options.
• PostgreSQL - Advanced SQL database with a strong reputation for reliability, data integrity, and correctness.
• MongoDB - A popular document-based NoSQL database. Easy replication and scaling.
• Prometheus - Provides metrics storage and querying for monitoring. Integrates with Grafana.

DevOps and Automation Tools

Open source DevOps tools help teams deploy faster:

• Docker - Package apps in containers for consistent deployment across environments.
• Kubernetes - Automated container deployment, scaling, and management.
• Terraform - Infrastructure as Code provisioning tool by HashiCorp.
• Jenkins - Automate CI/CD pipelines to test and deploy code changes.
• Argo CD - Declarative GitOps based continuous delivery tool for Kubernetes.

These solutions build on Linux and allow developers to programmatically manage infrastructure.

First Steps in Open Source Contribution

Understanding Open Source Licenses and Creative Commons

Open source licenses allow developers to freely use, modify, and distribute software. The most common licenses are MIT, GPL, and Apache.

The MIT license is short and permissive - it allows software to be reused in proprietary programs provided the license is included. The GPL license ensures software remains open source by requiring derivative works to use the same license. The Apache license is business-friendly and allows software to be included in proprietary products.

Creative Commons offers flexible copyright licenses for creative works. CC BY allows sharing and adapting as long as attribution is provided. CC BY-SA requires derivative works to use the same license. CC BY-NC-ND only allows verbatim sharing for noncommercial purposes.

Finding and Selecting Open Source Projects

Platforms like GitHub, GitLab, and Bitbucket host open source projects to collaborate on. Focus on finding well-established projects that welcome new contributors and offer mentorship. Avoid taking on core components as a beginner.

Identify beginner-friendly issues tagged "good first issue" or "help wanted" on project boards. Familiarize yourself with project guidelines and communication channels.

Making Your First Contribution: A Step-by-Step Guide

Fork the repository to create a copy on your account. Clone your fork locally and create a new branch for your changes. Once coding is complete, commit changes to your branch and push to your fork.

Open a pull request against the upstream repository comparing your branch to the original project's master branch. Provide a clear description of changes made and link to relevant issues. Be responsive to discussion, feedback, and requests from maintainers.

If changes are approved, maintainers will merge your PR. If additional updates are requested, commit fixes to your branch and push to your fork - the PR will update automatically.

Open Source Etiquette and Community Participation

Be transparent by documenting in issues and PRs. Give constructive feedback and show appreciation for community members' efforts. Abide by project codes of conduct - be friendly, patient, and respectful.

Start small by fixing typos, improving docs, patching bugs before tackling advanced issues. Stay engaged by continuing contributions, assisting new contributors, promoting projects, and shaping future development.

Top Open Source Tools for Developers

Open source software provides developers with free access to tools for building applications and managing infrastructure. Here are some of the most popular open source developer tools across key categories.

Code Editors: Visual Studio Code and Alternatives

Visual Studio Code has quickly become one of the most widely used code editors thanks to its flexibility, extensibility via plugins, and rich feature set for web development. While not fully open source, alternatives like VSCodium provide a community-driven OSS build. Other popular options include Atom for customizability and Brackets for those new to coding. All offer robust extension libraries and active communities behind plugin development.

When evaluating code editors, consider functionality needs around IntelliSense, debugging, version control integration, theming/UI flexibility, and platform support. Most editors can be customized to suit preferences, but some cater better out-of-the-box for front-end web devs while others excel at back-end/cloud development scenarios.

Browsers and Web Development Tools

Leading open source browsers like Firefox and Chromium provide not just privacy-focused alternatives to Chrome, but also powerful customization via extensions. Useful development tools span Chrome DevTools alternatives, responsive design testing, performance monitoring, accessibility evaluation, SEO optimization, and more.

Many developers also utilize FOSS operating systems like Linux for web development environments. Options like Ubuntu, Linux Mint, and Fedora offer user-friendly distros with baked-in programming tools. For those new to Linux, online guides and community forums provide tips to get started.

Database Management: GUIs and IDEs

The leading open source database platforms MySQL, PostgreSQL, and MongoDB also have open source GUI tools like MySQL Workbench, pgAdmin, and Robo 3T to simplify data modeling, query building, user management, and visualization. For those who prefer an IDE-centric experience, Eclipse Che provides a browser-based IDE for databases, cloud app dev platforms, and Kubernetes projects.

Evaluating DB tools comes down to connectivity, ease of use for admins/developers, and features beyond basic CRUD operations. Consider integrations with popular frameworks and whether OSS developer communities align with your stack.

Git Clients and Version Control

Git-based version control through GitHub, GitLab, and Bitbucket has become standard practice for developers. Open source GUI clients like GitKraken, Git Desktop, and SmartGit make managing repositories more user-friendly through visual diff tools, merge conflict editors, issue tracking, and working with remote repo workflows.

Developers working with cloud-native stacks have access to additional open source SCM/Git tools like Tekton and Jenkins for CI/CD automation, infrastructure-as-code tools such as Shipwright and Kubernetes operators, and Eclipse JKube for cloud-agnostic deployment automation.

IDEs for Web Development and Cloud Environments

While many developers are moving to lightweight code editors, open source IDEs like WebStorm, Aptana Studio, and Eclipse still provide robust frameworks for full-stack development - especially for web and cloud-based apps. Beyond code editing and debugging, they offer integrated testing, API tooling, version control, database connectivity, app packaging, and cloud deployment capabilities.

Some IDEs even integrate with popular open source cloud platforms like Red Hat OpenShift, Eclipse Che cloud workspaces, and CodeReady Containers for Kubernetes development. The choice comes down to the stack, languages, and toolchain involved. Evaluating community support and plugin ecosystems around IDEs is advised before adopting.

Leveraging Open Source for Personal Development

Open source projects provide a wealth of opportunities for new developers to build skills, create portfolio pieces, and expand their professional networks. Here are some tips on making the most of open source communities:

Building a Portfolio with Open Source Projects

When selecting an open source project to contribute to, look for ones that:

• Are well-documented and welcoming to new contributors
• Work on technologies you want to gain more experience with
• Have bugs or feature requests that match your skill level

Start small by fixing typos, improving documentation, or building tests. As you gain confidence, take on more complex tasks like bug fixes and features.

Highlight your open source contributions on your resume, portfolio site, and GitHub profile. Quantify your impact when possible, like number of commits, issues closed, or features added.

Networking and Mentorship in Open Source Communities

• Introduce yourself on project forums and chats. Be humble, ask questions, and offer help where you can.
• Find mentors by regularly interacting on issues and pull requests. Ask if they'd be open to answering occasional questions.
• Consider attending local meetups or conferences around the projects you contribute to. Meeting people in real life strengthens connections.

Over time, you'll develop relationships that lead to collaborations on side-projects, job referrals, and more.

Learning Through Code Review and Collaboration

The collaborative nature of open source lends itself well to continuous learning. Ways to take advantage:

• Submit pull requests early and often to get feedback through code reviews. Be receptive to criticism.
• Pair program with other contributors - work together on issues via screenshare.
• Join project chat rooms and discuss major architectural decisions and designs.

By working closely with experienced developers, you'll pick up new techniques and best practices.

Continuous Learning with Open Source Tools

Here are helpful habits for staying on top of new open source technologies:

• Browse GitHub Trending page and HackerNews for rising projects. Set up news alerts on ones you find promising.
• Follow thought leaders in the space on Twitter and read their blogs/newsletters.
• Use open source alternatives to commercial tools in your own projects to get first-hand experience.
• Regularly revisit documentation for projects you use as they rapidly evolve.

Immersing yourself in these communities is the best way to ensure your skills don't become outdated.

Open Source Alternatives for Common Software Needs

Open source software provides free and open alternatives to many popular proprietary applications and tools. For developers and general users alike, open source software can deliver powerful functionality without license fees or usage restrictions.

Office and Productivity: LibreOffice, Open Office

For office and productivity needs, open source suites like LibreOffice and Apache OpenOffice offer free alternatives to Microsoft Office. These tools provide word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, and more.

Key highlights:

• Compatible with Microsoft Office file formats
• Available on Windows, Mac, and Linux
• Customizable interfaces and options
• Active open source communities behind them

While the proprietary Microsoft Office still dominates the market, open source office software has matured tremendously over the years and can handle most everyday document creation and editing needs.

Graphic Design and Multimedia: Gimp, Inkscape, Blender

Open source graphic design tools provide robust creative capabilities for images, illustrations, 3D artwork, and more:

• GIMP: Photo editing and image manipulation
• Inkscape: Vector graphics and illustrations
• Scribus: Page layout and publishing
• Krita: Digital painting and concept art
• Blender: 3D modeling, animation, and rendering

These tools rival premium commercial packages from Adobe and others. Combined with their zero-cost nature and cross-platform availability, they offer outstanding value for creative professionals and hobbyists alike.

Media Playback and Editing: VLC, ShotCut, FFmpeg

On the multimedia front, open source shines as well:

• VLC is arguably the best free media player available.
• ShotCut provides advanced video editing capabilities for free.
• FFmpeg is a versatile multimedia framework for processing audio, video, subtitles and more.

Whether playing, editing or converting media files, open source provides the tools to get the job done without restrictions or licensing fees.

Security and Utilities: 7-Zip, AES Crypt

For compression and archiving needs, 7-Zip delivers performance and capabilities comparable to WinZip/WinRAR.

AES Crypt enables securely encrypting files using the Advanced Encryption Standard for protection.

Various other system utilities and tools also have open source alternatives worth considering as free replacements to commercial solutions.

Key Takeaways and Next Steps

Why New Devs Should Embrace Open Source

Open source software provides new developers several key benefits:

• Freedom to use, modify, and share code freely: Unlike proprietary software, open source code can be used, changed, and distributed without restrictions. This allows new developers to easily build on existing code.
• Transparency and learning opportunities: Since open source code is publicly available, new developers can study real-world examples to understand how software is built. This transparency facilitates learning.
• Finding mentors and building a portfolio: Getting involved in open source projects lets new developers work with experienced mentors. Contributing to open source is also great for building a portfolio to showcase skills.
• Access to state-of-the-art tools: Many cutting-edge developer tools and technologies are open source. This allows new developers to work with innovative tools they may not otherwise have access to.

Further Learning and Growth with Open Source

Here are some recommendations for further developing open source skills:

• Read guides on open source best practices, licenses, and community norms. The Open Source Initiative is a great resource.
• Join open source organizations like Women Who Code or Code for America to find a community.
• Reach out to project maintainers on GitHub to find a mentor willing to guide you.
• Start small by fixing bugs or improving documentation for beginner-friendly open source projects, rather than diving into complex code.

Immersing yourself in the open source ecosystem will accelerate your growth as a developer. Be patient, help others, and have fun!